The BBC's Robert Hallreports on the verdict real 56kHarry Cressman"I never thought I'd bury my child" real 28kDetective Chief Inspector Jim Dickie"Jane Andrew's tried to sully the good character of the man she murdered" real 28k

Wednesday, 16 May, 2001, 15:12 GMT 16:12 UK

Ex royal aide found guilty of murder

Jane Andrews beat and stabbed Tom Cressman

The Duchess of York's former aide Jane Andrews has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of murdering her boyfriend.

Andrews, 34, had denied murdering Tom Cressman, 39, in bed at their £400,000 home in Fulham, west London, in the early hours of 17 September last year.

Her solicitor Catherine Mather said her client was "devastated" by the verdict and would be considering an appeal.

Andrews' lawyers argued she was defending herself after Mr Cressman raped and threatened to kill her, and that he fell on the knife she was holding.

In killing the man you loved you ended his life and
ruined your own

Judge Michael Hyam

But the jury of 10 women and two men at the Old Bailey did not believe her and found by a majority of 11-1 that she had killed her lover in a jealous rage after he refused to marry her.

Mr Cressman's parents, who were in court, gasped as the verdict was read out.

Andrews hit Mr Cressman on the head with a cricket bat and stabbed him with a kitchen knife. He died within minutes from his wounds.

Several days after the discovery of his body, Ms Andrews was found slumped in her car in Cornwall after taking an overdose of painkillers.

'Bitterness'

During the trial the jury heard evidence from a psychiatrist that Andrews, who was sacked as the Duchess of York's personal dresser in 1997, had a history of depression and severe mood swings.

Judge Michael Hyam said he had to hand down a life sentence, telling Andrews she had remorselessly killed an unarmed man.

"In killing the man you loved you ended his life and
ruined your own.

"It is evident that you made your attack on him when you were consumed with anger and bitterness. Nothing could justify what you did.

'Brutal attack'

"It was a brutal attack and even if you felt yourself wronged and you were emotionally vulnerable, you were attacking an unarmed man who had possibly been asleep only a few
minutes before you attacked him."

"After you had struck him, first with a cricket bat and
then stabbed him with a knife, you left him to die without remorse.

All of us who loved him will remember him with pride

Cressman family

"It is true that your flight was obviously unprepared and that the attack took place, perhaps only with a few minutes premeditation.

But he added: "As your counsel recognises there is only one sentence which I can place upon you and that is one of life imprisonment."

Andrews, originally from Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, looked up at her parents before she was led away.

In a statement, Mr Cressman's family - who are American - said their faith in British justice had been rewarded.